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QuestionRead
the two texts below.Write an essay summarising and evaluating the
key points from both texts. Use your own words throughout as far as
possible and include your own ideas in your answers.

The
Financial Costs of StressResearch carried out by the Health and
Safety Council estimates that stress and mental illness continues to
be neglected by many businesses, both small and large. And the
economic impact of this is huge, costing employers around £26bn a
year. Stress at work can lead to a lack of concentration, fatigue and
low motivation, all of which will cost the company in terms of low
productivity, customer satisfaction and the very reputation of the
company itself. Employers are being urged to become more "emotionally
intelligent" and to improve the way they deal with stress and
mental illness.

Speak
up about StressMany people find it difficult to talk about their
feelings, particularly if we're feeling weak or vulnerable. However,
when suffering from stress it’s vital you seek help. It's important
to feel you can talk honestly with a close friend, a loved one, a
work colleague or doctor about what’s going on. Stress is easily
diagnosed and there is plenty you can do to successfully treat and
manage stress. One of the most effective of these is to share your
feelings with those you trust. Remember that accepting help and
support is not a sign of weakness. Close relationships are vital to
helping you get through this tough time.

Write
the essay. (around 240 - 280 words)

Answer ( No Title? )

Both texts speak about stress as
something to be taken into account and treated. Whereas the first one
points out the negative consequences of having stressful employees,
therefore stress at work, the second one focuses more on its
treatment. (Feedback: lines in red need correction)

Hardly a week goes by without another a new survey showing that employees from big companies are prone to taking
more days off that the ones from smaller companies. The reason is
simple: the unbearable stress. The tremendous pressure these workers
suffer to finish their projects deadline and the brutal competition
they have from their colleagues, make their hearts beat faster and
suffer from frequent headaches if not severe migraines. Were I a
mogul of these companies I would adopt a battery of measures, like
installing a room on the upper floor so that employees can take a
nap. (Seems to be incomplete. Paragraph doesnt really summaryse the first text).

However, the
second extract focuses more on the psychological side of the issue,
not paying attention to the profits or losses of the company but to
the way we should tackle the problem. The first step would be to
accept that we have a problem and then expose it to the closest
people because there is nothing to be ashamed of. The same way we
need medicines to ease our physical pain the same way we need
professional advice to relieve so much tension from our hectic lives.

To sum up, although there is nothing
wrong being a top-notch employee who wants to fulfil the company’s
expectations it might be at the expense of your physical and mental
health and it is always worth bearing it in mind. (Conclusion could be better connected with the info in the texts )

Feedback

Hello Amaia. You are right. There is not much free online material for the CPE, and it would be great if we had a group to support each other. This is the idea of this blog.

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